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Fire drills
The Ontario Fire Code requires all buildings to conduct fire drills at minimum annually.
According to the University of Toronto Governing Council Policy on Crisis and Routine Emergency Preparedness and Response, all persons occupying space controlled by the University of Toronto are subject to emergency procedures, which includes evacuating a building or area upon activation of an alarm during a drill.
During the fire drills, the Fire Prevention team assesses the readiness of the fire alarm systems and emergency exiting provisions.
Everyone’s participation is critical to test each building’s evacuation procedures and exiting, as well as identify and address potential issues—under full occupancy conditions.
Frequency of fire drills
The Ontario Fire Code mandates a different fire drill frequency for different building types:
- Monthly for daycares
- Thrice per semester for schools
- Every three months for buildings taller than 18 metres
All other buildings are required to conduct annual fire drills.
How this may impact you
Mandatory evacuation fire drills on campus are scheduled in August and September.
The day before a fire drill, notices are posted at the buildings’ main entrances(s). Heavy rain or other inclement weather may result in a fire drill being rescheduled.
During a fire drill, the building fire alarm system will typically sound for up to 15 minutes.
Everyone inside a building during a fire drill must evacuate according to the fire evacuation procedures.
Evacuation procedures
The purpose of a mandatory evacuation fire drill is to practice the emergency evacuation procedures as though in a real fire emergency.
The building must be fully evacuated in three to five minutes.
When the fire alarm sounds, everyone in the building:
- Must never ignore or assume the alarm is false or a test
- Must turn off all equipment before evacuating, if applicable
- Must exit the building using the nearest and safest exit or stairway
- Must never use the elevators
- Must close (but not lock) all doors behind you
- Must move away from the building and not obstruct fire department access
- Must not re-enter the building until advised
- In the event of a fire, the Fire Department has the authority over the emergency scene and would advise occupants if and when a re-entry is safe
- Should take valuables with you (e.g., purses, jackets, keys)
When the fire alarm sounds, faculty, and managers:
- Are responsible for evacuating students and staff using the nearest and safest exit
- Must remind students and staff of the evacuation procedures
- Must ensure all equipment is turned off prior to evacuating the building (e.g., Bunsen burners, machines, kitchen stoves)
Procedure for those requiring assistance to evacuate
When the fire alarm sounds:
- If you’re on the ground floor, exit as you normally would
- If you’re above or below the ground floor, stay where you are.
- In the event of a fire, staying in place will assist the Fire Department to evacuate you, if required
Schedule
Annual fire drills and mandatory evacuations on the St. George campus took place in August and September 2023.
Fire drills for buildings taller than 18 metres, daycares, and schools are scheduled directly with building occupants by your fire prevention officer.
Building name and code | Scheduled fire drill |
---|---|
Borden Building South (061) | August 10, 2023 |
Borden Building North (061A) | August 10, 2023 |
Koffler House (145) | August 10, 2023 |
Graduate Students’ Union (056) | August 10, 2023 |
Bancroft Building (057) | August 10, 2023 |
Central Steam Plant (018) | August 11, 2023 |
Physical Geography Building (027) | August 11, 2023 |
Simcoe Hall (010) | August 11, 2023 |
Convocation Hall (010A) | August 11, 2023 |
Communications House (092) | August 11, 2023 |
Rotman School of Management (134) | August 11, 2023 |
J. Robert S. Prichard Alumni House (019) | August 14, 2023 |
McCaul Street-263 (156) | August 14, 2023 |
C. David Naylor Building (011) | August 14, 2023 |
McMurrich Building (004) | August 14, 2023 |
Canadiana Gallery (047) | August 14, 2023 |
McCaul Street-254/256 (083) | August 14, 2023 |
St. George Street-123 (088) | August 16, 2023 |
Innis College (132) | August 16, 2023 |
McDonald-Mowat House (172) | August 17, 2023 |
School of Graduate Studies (043) | August 17, 2023 |
School of Contuing Studies (SCS) (103) | August 17, 2023 |
St. George Street-162 (106) | August 17, 2023 |
Enrolment Services (127) | August 17, 2023 |
Varsity Centre (030A) | August 18, 2023 |
Varsity Pavilion (041) | August 18, 2023 |
Cumberland House (026) | August 21, 2023 |
Huron Street-215 (067) | August 21, 2023 |
Gage Building (082) | August 21, 2023 |
Koffler Student Services Centre (143) | August 21, 2023 |
Sussex Court (077) | August 22, 2023 |
Spadina Avenue-703 (125) | August 22, 2023 |
North West Chiller Plant (122) | August 22, 2023 |
Sussex Avenue-40 (146) | August 22, 2023 |
Fasken Building (151) | August 22, 2023 |
John P. Robarts Library Building (006) | August 25, 2023 |
Claude T. Bissell Building (006A) | August 25, 2023 |
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Building (006B) | August 25, 2023 |
Robarts Common (006C) | August 25, 2023 |
Sandford Fleming Building (009) | September 8, 2023 |
Galbraith Building (070) | September 8, 2023 |
Wallberg Building (008) | September 8, 2023 |
D.L. Pratt Building (008A) | September 8, 2023 |
Electrometallurgy Lab (093) | September 8, 2023 |
Medical Sciences Building (005) | September 11, 2023 |
Gerstein Science Information Centre in the Sigmund Samuel Library Building (003) | September 11, 2023 |
Exam Centre (155) | September 11, 2023 |
Bahen Centre for Information Technology (BCIT) (080) | September 13, 2023 |
Mechanical Engineering Building (022) | September 13, 2023 |
Engineering Annex (021) | September 13, 2023 |
Haultain Building (024) | September 13, 2023 |
MyHal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE) (087) | September 13, 2023 |
Student Commons (028) | September 14, 2023 |
Fields Institute for Research in Math Science (105) | September 14, 2023 |
Astronomy & Astrophysics Building (036) | September 14, 2023 |
Anthropology Building (079) | September 14, 2023 |
McLennan Physical Laboratories (078) | September 14, 2023 |
Earth Sciences Centre (062) | September 15, 2023 |
Clara Benson Building (068) | September 15, 2023 |
Warren Stevens Building (068A) | September 15, 2023 |
Ramsay Wright Laboratories (072) | September 15, 2023 |
Lash Miller Chemical Laboratories (073) | September 15, 2023 |
Sidney Smith Hall (033) | September 18, 2023 |
Woodsworth College (038) | September 18, 2023 |
University College Union (023) | September 18, 2023 |
Luella Massey Studio Theatre (091) | September 18, 2023 |
Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the Observatory (089) | September 19, 2023 |
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (111) | September 19, 2023 |
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) (123) | September 19, 2023 |
Jackman Humanities Building (128) | September 19, 2023 |
Health Sciences Building (154) | September 20, 2023 |
Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research (160) | September 20, 2023 |
Lassonde Mining Building (007) | September 21, 2023 |
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building (161) | September 21, 2023 |
Banting Institute (016) | September 21, 2023 |
Dentistry Building (065) | September 22, 2023 |
Rehabilitation Sciences Building (152) | September 22, 2023 |
Faculty Club (075) | September 22, 2023 |
Faculty of Law (040) | September 27, 2023 |
Falconer Hall (050) | September 27, 2023 |
Edward Johnson Building (051) | September 27, 2023 |
Wellesley Street West-90 (098B) | September 27, 2023 |
Wellesley Street West-90 (098C) | September 27, 2023 |
Aerospace Building (049) | September 28, 2023 |
UTL at Downsview (149) | September 28, 2023 |
University College (001) | October 10, 2023 |
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Questions
For questions about fire drills or building evacuations, please contact your fire prevention officer.